You may not give any thought to the fact that you switch your lights on and off with ease, put the kettle on to make some tea or the fact that your fridge or freezer is working as it should. After all, it’s likely that electricity is something that we take for granted. However, not taking into consideration faulty appliances, switches, leads and fuse boxes is not only potentially dangerous and unsafe, it can also cost you a lot of money to repair further down the road. This is why having an electrical inspection and testing for your home is an important step to take. If you’re wondering about this important procedure, keep reading to find out more.
What is an electrical inspection?
The question “what is an electrical inspection?” can be summed up as follows: it is the process where a qualified electrical professional arrives at your home to do an electrical inspection and testing of all your electrical outlets and other electricity-related items in your home. They will look at all your wiring, sockets, fuse boxes etc. to determine their levels of safety and operations.
Why should you do it?
It’s not only about the safety of the members of your household. A house electrical inspection is also a method of preventing accidents and saving you money in the event of a troublesome electrical outlet. After all, no one wants to live in a home where electricity poses a danger. What’s more is that in the UK, it’s a legal requirement if you’re a landlord and landlords are required to have an electrical inspection done on the property every five years. If you’re a private homeowner, an electrical inspection should take place once every 10 years or whenever you notice something that’s wrong with any of your electrical outlets.
What do you get with this service?
A home electrical inspection entails not only a visual inspection of the electrical outlets in your property, but also the completion of the electrical installation condition report, also known as the EICR. The purpose of this report is to identify any trouble areas, any areas that may pose a danger to members in your household and whether the installation is safe for you to continue using it.
How long does an electrical inspection take?
If you’re wondering “how long does an electrical inspection take?” the answer is that it depends. Several factors are at play here. For instance, the size of the property, the number of electrical outlets and appliances used, the state of these outlets and any potential dangers and more. Essentially, however, you can expect the service to take anything between one to four hours.
What are some preventative steps you can take?
To prepare for your electrical inspection, it’s advised that you get your property ready for the professional who’ll be doing it. This may mean unplugging electrical appliances such as fridges, kettles, TVs, radios, irons, hairdryers and any others from the walls, while it’s also important to keep in mind that it’s your responsibility to plug them back in once the inspection is complete. In addition, some preventative steps to take to ensure your electrical outlets don’t cause you problems in the future include noticing when leads are frayed, using the correct wattage of light bulbs for the right socket, check that no wires are visible or exposed and others.
Conclusion
For your next electrical inspection, consider getting in touch with the professional electricians in Farnborough to conduct your home’s electrical safety check. Not only is this a legal requirement for landlords but it’s also an important way of ensuring you maintain your home’s value, prevent dangerous situations from occurring and overall to ensure the effective use of electricity in your home to save you money.